English Version: Dandelions in the Wind

45

"Can you please turn off your phone?" Charlotte asked irritably, her brow furrowing as she sat beside Georgia in the boardroom, tapping her pen impatiently on the table.

Georgia sighed, a mixture of frustration and reluctance noticeable as she touched the screen of her phone, rolling her eyes at Charlotte. "I'm waiting for the exciting part; the guy is going to tell her that he had a brain transplant," Georgia complained, her voice tinged with impatience, disappointed at being interrupted in her viewing.

Charlotte, clearly exasperated, took a long drink of cold water, the ice clinking softly in her glass. "Seriously, a brain transplant? How's that even possible? I can't imagine how you can survive watching that show," she said in disbelief, pointing at the phone.

"Uhm, it's a soap opera, anything is possible, duh?" Georgia retorted, leaning back in her chair with a smug smile. "It's my guilty pleasure. I don't care how ridiculous it can be. I'm paying for a monthly subscription, so I can't miss the episodes,'" she defended her favorite soap opera. "Why don't you relax? I've been hearing your sighs every three minutes. Relax, okay? We'll have a meeting with David to sign agreements with your future husband, who happens to drag his cousin all the way from the States to be his attorney and set up Samantha to have a date with your ex," Georgia teased, a sly grin on her face as she admired her newly painted nails, the bright color catching the light.

Charlotte rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Oh my god. You're hopeless!" She shook her head, skeptical that Georgia was actually spending money on watching it. "Well, thank you for making my anxiety worse than ever." Charlotte stood up and began pacing around the boardroom, trying to alleviate her anxiety.

"Samantha is probably average-looking? Uhm, boring? I guess? She doesn't have social media accounts, but I saw a picture of her at an event. It was taken from a distance and was blurry, but you're prettier, okay," Georgia said, trying to boost Charlotte's confidence. "If you converted a straight woman like Dionne, then you're far more attractive," Georgia added casually as she took the contract folder and flipped through the pages, her freshly painted nails gleaming under the boardroom's lights.

"I don't think she's boring," Charlotte replied, unconvinced. She went to the glass window and chose to stand there, gazing at the towering buildings outside. "I just think it's weird," Charlotte muttered without turning around, still looking out the window. She watched as cars and pedestrians moved below.

Georgia looked over at Charlotte and set the folder down on the table. "Sounds like a deflection. You know, people often hide their true feelings behind skepticism."

"And you think I'm hiding something?" Charlotte turned to look at Georgia, her eyes narrowing. "My emotions are wonderful, thank you. It's just... I can't picture Dionne with someone like Samantha." She turned her gaze back to the window.

Georgia leaned back in her chair and gently swiveled it, her eyes thoughtful. "Maybe because deep down, you still see Dionne with you."

Charlotte let out a deep sigh, her shoulders sagging. "We're over. She made that clear," she answered softly. Charlotte closed her eyes as if trying to shut out the memories that threatened to overwhelm her before opening them again to face the reality of her situation.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in!" Georgia responded, standing up. Sarah, the secretary, entered and spoke formally. "Mr. David Martin is here, and Miss Samantha Emerson." Sarah quietly left as the visitors entered.

"Hey! Charlotte!" David greeted energetically, elegantly dressed in a tailored blue Armani suit. He exuded confidence and charm, his dark hair neatly styled. Charlotte immediately approached, her face lighting up, and welcomed him with a kiss and warm hug. "Hey! Glad to see you!" she responded warmly.